President Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday launched her strongest attack on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe saying she was 'completely and utterly shocked' by what she saw as the Premier's volte face in the controversy over Minister Ravi Karunanayake's behaviour.

Around 800 civilians are reportedly being held prisoner by the LTTE in the Mullaitivu district alone. Informed sources told the Daily Mirror last night that around 600 Tamil civilians alone were being held prisoners in one of the detention camps.

India is taking preparatory action to renew the ban on the LTTE for a further two years. Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, New Delhi has issued notice on the LTTE calling upon it to show cause in writing within 30 days from July 6 as to why it should not be declared an unlawful association and why order be not made confirming the declaration already made.

Savar, Bangladesh, July 29: Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf today stood in solemn silence before the National Mausoleum here in homage to the martyrs of the Bangladesh Liberation War and regretted the "excesses" committed by his country's forces in 1971, reports UNB

Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. has secured a contract for US$ 100 million from Sri Lanka’s state-owned company Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (Ceypetco) for shipment of 30,000 tonnes of diesel and 10,000 tonnes of aviation turbine fuel from September 2002.

George W. Bush, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso have all
died. Due to a glitch in the mundane/celestial time-space
continuum, all three arrive at the Pearly Gates more or less
simultaneously, even though their deaths have taken place
decades apart.